1918
Ben
2012
Ben H. Pumphrey
September 5, 1918 — June 6, 2012
Memorial services will be held at 2:30 p.m., Friday, June 8, at the Continental Retirement Center, 1300 S. Jackson, with the Rev. Darrell Burton officiating. A private burial will be held at Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia.
Ben was born on September 5, 1918, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to W. R. and Blanche Pumphrey. In 1921 the family moved to Amarillo. They started Amarillo Paper Company shortly after arrival.
Ben graduated from Amarillo High School in 1937. He then attended New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico in 1938 and 1939. This experience was a very special time in Ben’s life. He then went to University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1941. He was proud to be a Boomer Sooner.
He enlisted in the United States Army after graduation and was a proud veteran who fought during World War II. In 1943, he married Josephine Zorn in Topeka, Kansas. After he finished his military career in March of 1946, he returned to Amarillo to raise his family and work in the family business, until it was sold in the late 1960s.
He was a long-time member of the Amarillo Senior Citizens Association, Golden K Kiwanis for many years and United Commercial Travelers for over 60 years. He enjoyed watching football and baseball on TV.
Ben was preceded in death by his father in 1947, his mother in 1965, and his wife of 48 years in 1991. He moved to The Continental and lived there for 13 years and had many friends. The last ten months, he resided at Ussery Roan Texas State Veteran’s Home.
He is survived by his children, Mary Kay Harders and her husband, Jim of Olathe, Kansas; Sally Tyler, William Pumphrey and Norma Pumphrey all of Amarillo; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank Dr. Dzik and his nurse practitioner, Renee Ashley, all of his friends at The Continental and the Ussery Roan staff for their compassionate care as well as BSA Hospice staff, Dr. Stewart, Pam, and volunteer, Johnny Walsh, who were so faithful to him in his last days. We would also like to thank the very special staff at the VA Hospital, Dr. Wan, who worked tirelessly to get him through some very difficult times, and to RN, John Blair, who went way beyond the call of duty. We will never forget them. Thank you! And last but not least, his special acquired friend at Ussery Roan, whose compassion was there to the very end, Donita Rule – thank you.
The family suggests memorials be to BSA Hospice, PO Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79105; Ussery Roan Activities Department, 1020 Tascosa Road, Amarillo, TX 79124; High Plains Christian Ministries Foundation, 701 Park Place Avenue, Amarillo, TX 79101; or to your favorite charity.
Ben was born on September 5, 1918, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to W. R. and Blanche Pumphrey. In 1921 the family moved to Amarillo. They started Amarillo Paper Company shortly after arrival.
Ben graduated from Amarillo High School in 1937. He then attended New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico in 1938 and 1939. This experience was a very special time in Ben’s life. He then went to University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1941. He was proud to be a Boomer Sooner.
He enlisted in the United States Army after graduation and was a proud veteran who fought during World War II. In 1943, he married Josephine Zorn in Topeka, Kansas. After he finished his military career in March of 1946, he returned to Amarillo to raise his family and work in the family business, until it was sold in the late 1960s.
He was a long-time member of the Amarillo Senior Citizens Association, Golden K Kiwanis for many years and United Commercial Travelers for over 60 years. He enjoyed watching football and baseball on TV.
Ben was preceded in death by his father in 1947, his mother in 1965, and his wife of 48 years in 1991. He moved to The Continental and lived there for 13 years and had many friends. The last ten months, he resided at Ussery Roan Texas State Veteran’s Home.
He is survived by his children, Mary Kay Harders and her husband, Jim of Olathe, Kansas; Sally Tyler, William Pumphrey and Norma Pumphrey all of Amarillo; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank Dr. Dzik and his nurse practitioner, Renee Ashley, all of his friends at The Continental and the Ussery Roan staff for their compassionate care as well as BSA Hospice staff, Dr. Stewart, Pam, and volunteer, Johnny Walsh, who were so faithful to him in his last days. We would also like to thank the very special staff at the VA Hospital, Dr. Wan, who worked tirelessly to get him through some very difficult times, and to RN, John Blair, who went way beyond the call of duty. We will never forget them. Thank you! And last but not least, his special acquired friend at Ussery Roan, whose compassion was there to the very end, Donita Rule – thank you.
The family suggests memorials be to BSA Hospice, PO Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79105; Ussery Roan Activities Department, 1020 Tascosa Road, Amarillo, TX 79124; High Plains Christian Ministries Foundation, 701 Park Place Avenue, Amarillo, TX 79101; or to your favorite charity.
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